clad in
white pants, and suddenly drop nearly knee-deep in the lap of mother
Earth is quite a different thing. I hastily picked up the children, and
threw them upon the bank, and then wrathfully strode out myself, and
tried to shake myself as I have seen a Newfoundland dog do. The shake
was not a success--it caused my trouser-leg to flap dismally about my
ankles, and sent the streams of loathsome ooze trickling down into my
shoes. My hat, of drab felt, had fallen off by the brookside, and been
plentifully spattered as I got out. I looked at my youngest nephew with
speechless indignation.

"Uncle Harry," said Budge, "'twas real good of the Lord to let you be
with us, else Toddie might have been drownded."

"Yes," said I, "and I shouldn't have much--"

"Ocken Hawwy," cried Toddie, running impetuously toward me, pulling me
down, and patting my cheek with his muddy black hand, "I _loves_ you for
takin' me out de water."

"I accept your apology," said I, "but let's hurry home." There was but
one residence to pass, and that, thank fortune, was so densely screened
by shrubbery that the inmates could not see the road. To be sure, we
were on a favorite driving road, but we could reach home in five
minutes, and we might dodge into the woods if we heard a carriage
coming. Ha! There came a carriage already, and we--was there ever a
sorrier-looking group? There were ladies in the carriage, too--could it
be--of course it was--did the evil spirit, which guided those children
always, send an attendant for Miss Mayton before he began operations?
There she was, anyway--cool, neat, dainty, trying to look collected, but
severely flushed by the attempt. It was of no use to drop my eyes, for
she had already recognized me; so I turned to her a face which I think
must have been just the one--unless more defiant--that I carried into
two or three cavalry charges.

"You seem to have been having a real good time together," said she, with
a conventional smile, as the carriage passed. "Remember, you're all
going to call on me to-morrow afternoon."

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Railway cars.

[2] Rocked.

[3] Basket.

A REFLECTIVE RETROSPECT

BY JOHN G. SAXE

'Tis twenty years, and something more,
Since, all athirst for useful knowledge,
I took some draughts of classic lore,
Drawn very mild, at ----rd College;
Yet I remember all that one
Could wish to hold in recollection;
The boys, the joys, the noise, the fun;